Colorado Hotels Sue Over Aurora Development Project

Eight hotels in Colorado have filed a lawsuit against the Colorado Economic Development Commission, according to this article from The Gazette. The Economic Development Commission is planning to use $81.4 million in tax incentives for a new hotel and convention center project that is planned near Denver International Airport.

The 1,500-room hotel and conference center was awarded a 30-year tax break in May 2012 when it was owned by Gaylord Entertainment. But since Marriott acquired Gaylord in October of the same year, the hotels filing suit challenged whether the sales tax award should be revisited.

Steve Bartolin, president and CEO of the Broadmoor, one of the plaintiffs in the suit, told The Gazette, “If somebody is coming in and putting up their own money and competing on an even playing field, all is fair. I think when you have your hand out asking for taxpayer money from the state of Colorado, you hold yourself to a little higher scrutiny.”

The Economic Development Commission is claiming that the lawsuit is a last-ditch effort by the plaintiffs and claims that the hotels are concerned about competition in the market.

The hotels involved in the suit include The Broadmoor, the Brown Palace, The Magnolia, the Curtis, JW Marriott Denver Cherry Creek, the Courtyard Denver Downtown, the Oxford Hotel and the Westin Westminster.